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"BEN" ("Better Everything Now") is a hip hop song written by rapper, producer, and director Adair Lion (Adair Fragoso), a native of El Paso, Texas.〔(An El Paso Native's Controversial Music Video Goes Viral, May 7, 2012, KTSM Chanel 9 News. )〕〔 The song samples Michael Jackson's 1972 song of the same name and gives a pro-LGBT message.〔(Adair Lion Calls Lil' Wayne & Kanye West To Action! Makes Pro-LGBT Rap Song!!! ) PerezHilton.com, May 4, 2012.〕〔("Gay Is Okay": Amarillo Rapper Adair Lion's New Video For "Ben" ), By Audra Schroeder Tue., May 1, 2012, ''Dallas Observer,''〕 One report described it as a message to the rap world, and a stance against gay discrimination.〔(Rapper uses MJ song to tell hip-hop world that 'gay is OK' ) retrieved 4 May 2012〕 ''Towleroad'' called it a "beautifully-spun message about doing away with homophobia in hip-hop and Christianity, and accepting gay parents."〔(Rapper Adair Lion Offers Up Awesome 'Gay is Okay' Video ), MAY. 1,2012 Andy Towle,''Towleroad''〕 Originally to be titled "It Gets Benner", in homage to the It Gets Better Project, Lion decided to use "Ben" with the name also serving as an acronym for "Better Everything Now."〔 The single is a part of Lion's forthcoming album ''Michael & Me'' to be released June 25, the anniversary of the death of Michael Jackson.〔 Lion's intention was to bring focus to how homophobic expressions, common in the hip-hop community, are part of a larger problem, and that leading voices of hip hop shouldn't turn their backs on their LGBT friends and family.〔〔 One of the often quoted lyrics is "'Gay is OK' may be the No. 1 thing a rapper shouldn't say."〔 Equality Texas named Lion an Ally Award winner, recognizing people and businesses that advanced "equality for all Texans", as well as 'Miss West Texas' Kaylee Anne Keith, his fiancee, who took her platform of “bullying awareness and prevention” to schools across the state. The popular culture reaction to "BEN" has been surprisingly supportive in the traditionally and notoriously homophobic hip-hop music industry, which, for example, uses "no homo" in lyrics. "BEN" went viral, racking up "tens of thousands of hits" on YouTube, and Lion's songs have increased exposure on "taste-making radio stations and websites."〔 Lion is also doing more live shows including gay pride festivals in Memphis (Mid-South Pride) and his hometown of El Paso.〔 ==Conception and recording== Lion, who earned a degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Music with an Emphasis on Vocal Performance and Concentration in Sound Engineering, conceived and wrote the song while researching music for his upcoming full length Michael Jackson tribute album.〔"(How "Ben" song and video was born )." Adair Lion. ''AdairLion.com''. May 26, 2012.〕 He found an a cappella version of Jackson's "Ben" and centered that as the main hook, sped up the sample and made a hip-hop beat around the vocals.〔 Ben "wouldn't be shunned" if everyone else knew him, as Jackson puts it, "like I do".〔Karen Smith Welch. "(Amarillo rapper's viral video declares, 'Gay is OK' )." ''Amarillo-Globe News'', May 8, 2012.〕 Lion noted that in hip hop it is standard to bash gays and that on every rap album he's heard the singers calls each other ''faggot'', "as the first attack point." While Lion was in college, a friend of his came out, and it was confusing how to react to the news.〔 The issue started to conceptualize how the Ben that Michael Jackson sings of could be seen as LGBT people being the best friends of the hip-hop community.〔 In the movie, and song, Ben is the best friend and the metaphor is touched again when Lion raps "(and) to all the little dudes learning to mack, the hottest chicks got a gay in their clique, remember that."〔(Adair Lion. "Ben Lyrics". ''Adairlion.com''. May 26, 2012 )〕〔'Gay Is Okay,' Adair Lion's Pro-LGBT Youth Rap, Samples Michael Jackson, Curtis M. Wong, May 1, 2012. ''Huffington Post''. ()〕 Lion thought of his gay friend and was inspired by the It Gets Better campaign, an Internet-based project founded September 2010 by columnist Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller in response to an increase of suicide among LGBT youth who were bullied because they were gay or because their peers suspected that they were gay. The goal is to prevent suicide among LGBT youth by having LGBT adults convey the message that the teens' lives will improve. Lion sees "Ben" as a way to being a rap version for the It Gets Better effort.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「BEN (Adair Lion song)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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